After feeding the 5000, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee ahead of Him, while He dismissed the crowd. Then, Jesus went up to a mountain alone to pray. Meanwhile, the disciples in the boat were struggling with strong waves and winds in the middle of the sea! This continued until the early hours of the morning (while it was still dark) when Jesus approached them by walking on the water. When the disciples saw Jesus, they were frightened and thought they were seeing a ghost. Jesus reassured them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” 

This is where we witness some growth in the apostle Peter, as he responded, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” At this point, Peter realized that if the Lord commanded him to do ANYTHING, he could do it! Even if Jesus commanded Peter to walk on water, he could do it!! It’s one of those moments when we are reminded to be mindful of what we pray for, because we might just get it (if we ask God for an opportunity to do something significant, He may grant us that chance). 

Returning to the story, Jesus told Peter to “Come,” and Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus! Imagine Peter holding onto the edge of the boat, placing his feet firmly on the water, and then letting go… to find himself walking on water!! Would he ever forget that experience? However, it was very dark, with strong winds and crashing waves, and the water was about 200 feet deep! As a fisherman, Peter was aware of this. As he looked around, he felt fear creeping in, and he began to sink. 

When we know we are in trouble, it is interesting how we respond (not mincing words). Peter emphatically cried out, “Lord, save me!” Now, did Jesus rebuke Peter, saying, “Thought you could do it, huh?!” No, that is not what Jesus did!! Instead, He IMMEDIATELY reached out His hand, caught Peter and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

You see, Jesus wanted Peter to succeed in walking on water, just as He wants us to succeed in obeying His commands. So the next time your faith is tested (and it WILL be tested), remember that the Lord wants you to pass the test! Also, note that even after Peter’s faith failed, when the Lord saved Peter, they both walked on the water – together – and got back into the boat. The other disciples in the boat then worshipped Jesus, acknowledging Him as the Son of God.

There are profound moments in our lives when we realize that the Lord has indeed saved us! He deserves our worship, our service, and our all. God, please grant Your servants the ability to do great things in Your name, all to Your glory! Use me as You deem fit, and may You be with me in all things. Amen.